Tuck-in type can carrier and package and blank therefor



March 22, 1960 G. DE MlLLlON-CZARNECKI 9,

ATUCKI N TYPE CAN CARRIER AND PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Feb. 19, 1958 I mvm rc Oafifld M (Z1507 garneozf BY MW, WYM

1 2,929,497 TUCK-IN TYPE CAN CARRIER AND PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Gabryel de Million-Czarnecki, Chicago, 111., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, IlL, a

corporation of Delaware Application February 19, 1958, Serial No. 716,264 4 Claims. (Cl. zen-55 This invention relates to can carriers of the open ended sleeve or band type, can packages embodying such carriers, and blanks from which the carriers or containers for the cans are formed.

Can carriers of the general type above referred to are well known and many millions thereof are produced and used annually. In certain of the known can carriers the holder or container is in the form of an open ended sleeve or band having end retaining fiaps folded inward and engaging in the chimed ends of the end cans of a row of cans in the holder. While that carrier has proved highly efiicient in respect to retention and display of the cans, it involves wastage of material in the cutting of the blanks with a corresponding increase in cost of production. That is objectionable in this highly competitive field, in which the cost of production is of primary importance. Any saving in the cost of production, even though slight per carrier, is of considerable practical importance, bearing in mind the large volume of carriers used. In another known carrier, the can retaining tabs or flaps are cut from the top and bottom walls of the carrier and are folded inward along fold lines spaced inward from the ends of such walls. That necessitates openings of substantial area in such walls extending the major portion of the width thereof with resultant weakening of the end portions of those walls, which requires the use of paperboard of greater thickness and strength than would otherwise be necessary, with corresponding increase in cost of production. In both of the known carriers referred to it is necessary to fold the can retaining tabs inward and to then hold them in position to clear the can ends, when end loading the carrier. That involves additional operations in loading of the carriers, with resultant reduction in speed and increased cost of production of the package. In a third known form of carrier of the general type referred to, the top and the bottom walls are provided with retaining fiaps extending the full length thereof and secured to the sidewalls by glue flaps or analogous means, such flaps extending a substantial distance along the sides of the cans lengthwise thereof. That incurs waste of material in cutting the blanks and additional operations in securing the can retaining flaps to the side wall of the carrier, which adds appreciably to the cost of production.

My invention is directed to a can carrier and blank therefor, and a can package, which avoid the above noted objections to the known carriers and packages. To that end I provide a carrier formed from a blank such that no objectionable waste of material is incurred in cutting the blanks, and in which no weakening openings occur in the walls of the carrier, enabling the use of lighter weight material than would otherwise be possible, thereby effecting an appreciable saving in the cost of production per blank. The carrier thus produced, when in its set up condition, is particularly adapted to high speed machine loading, without interference by the can retaining members, which is conducive to reduced costs in packaging. The can retaining members are disposed within the outlines of the blank, which is of substantially oblong shape, and are connected to locking fiaps foldable to locking position between the end cans and the side wall panels of the carrier in the loading of the latter, the can retaining members being moved to operative position incident to folding inward of the locking flaps to locking position. In

nited rates Patent the set up and loaded container or carrier, constituting the package, the can retaining members extend about restricted areas at the top and bottom of the sides of the cans, leaving the sides of the end cans of the package exposed for substantially their full area, for display purposes. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a can package embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier of the package of Figure 1 is formed.

The carrier used in the package shown in Figure 1 is intended to receive a single row of three cans c. That carrier is formed from the blank shown in Figure 2, which is suitably cut and scored to provide a top wall panel 30, first and second side wall panels 31 and 32 hinged to the sides of panel 30 along fold lines 33 and 34, respectively, extending the full width of the blank, and first and second bottom wall panel half sections 35 and 36 attached to the lower edges of the side wall panels 31 and 32 along fold lines 37 and 38, respectively, extending the full width of the blank. The first side wall panel 31 is provided, a short distance from one end thereof, with a transverse fold line 39 providing a locking flap 4i) hinged to that end of panel 31 along fold line 39. The second side wall panel 32 is likewise provided, a short distance from one end thereof, with a transverse fold line 39 providing a second locking flap 40 disposed at the opposite side of the blank from the first locking fiap 40. The fold line 39 of the first side wall panel 31 intersects fold lines 33 and 37 at points 41 and the fold line 39 of the second side wall panel interacts the fold lines 34 and 38 at points 41. The blank is further provided with fold lines 42 and 43 diverging outwardly from the respective points 41 and defining substantially triangular can retaining web members 44. Each of the Web members 44 comprises two substantially triangular elements 45 and 46 hinged together along an extension of one of the fold lines extending transversely of the blank. The elements 46 are attached along fold. lines 43 to the ends of the locking flaps the elements 45 adjacent the upper ends of the locking flaps ll} are attached along fold lines 42 to the contiguous corner portions or the top wall panel 36 and the elements 45 adjacent the lower ends of the locking flaps 44} are attached along fold lines 42 to the contiguous corner portions of the first and second bottom Wall panel half sections 35 and 36, respectively. The outer edge of the corner portion of top wall panel 30 including the element 45 is aligned with the'outer edge of the adjacent locking flap 4i and the remainder of .each end of top wall panel 39 is inclined inwardly of the blank to the side wall panel at the opposite side of the top wall panelf The outer edge of the corner portion of eacn of the bottom wall panel half sections 35 and 35 including the element 45 is aligned with the outer edge of the adjacent locking 7 fiap 4i) and element 45, the remainder of that end of each of the panel sections 35 and 36 being inclined inwardly of the blank and the opposite end of each of the panel sections 35 and 36 being inclined outwardly of the blank and parallel with the inclined edge extending from the corner portion including the element 45, the inclined ends of the panel sections 35 and 36 being parallel as are the inclined-ends of the top wall panel 30. The blank of Figure 2 is thus approximately oblong in shape and, by proper nesting of the blanks, as is known in the art, the blanks may be cut with no objectionable waste of material.

To produce the carrier of Figure 1 from the blank of Figure 2, the latter is folded over about the fold line 34 to position the side wall panel 32 and the panel section 36 in overlying relation to the top wall panel 30 machines. 7 V v incident to loading, the locking flaps 40 are folded in H rier.

ward, by suitably disposed blades, effective for positioning the can retaining web members 44 about the ends of one of the end cans at one side thereof and about the ends of the other end can of the row at the opposite side thereof, effective for retaining the cans in the'car- The locking flaps are held in their inwardly folded or operative position by'the adjacent end cans, as will be understood from the above. In the can package of Figure 1, the inclined ends of the top and bottom 7 wall panels of the carrier assure that the end cans will project beyond the ends of the carrier toa substantial extent so that such cans are readily visible and are displayed to advantage. 7 a

I claim: 7 1. In a can carrier, substantially rectangular top and bottom andside wall panels hinged together along top and bottom fold lines and defining an open ended carrier, one end of said top and bottom wall panels respectively beinginclined outwardly toward one of said side wall panels and the other end of said top and. bottom wall panels respectively being inclinedoutwardly toward. the

mao" i t-ively being inclined outwardly toward one of said side wall panels and the other end of saidrtop and bottom wall panels respectively being inclined outwardly toward the other side wall panel,a row of cans in said carrier fitting between said wall panels, a locking flap hinged to the end of said one side wall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottom wall panels along a fold line and folded to position at the inner face of said one side wall panel, a locking flap hinged to the end of the other side wall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottom wall panels along'a fold line and folded to position at the inner faeof said, other side wall panel, said flaps bengdisposed between said. side wall'panels and the end cans of the row and restrained by the latter against movement away from said sidewall panels, and substantially triangular can retaining web members-connecting the ends of said flaps to the adjacent corners of said top and bottom wall panels and extending therefrom at an inclination inward of said carrier about the end portions of the sides of said end cans efiective for retaining them in the carrier.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a substantially oblong blank formed of sheet material such as paperboard, said blank being cut and scoredto provide a top wall panel, first and second side wall panels attached attheir top edges tov the sides of said top wall panel along transverse fold lines extending the full Width of said blank, first and second bottom wall panel sections attached at their outer edges to the bottom'edges of said side, wall panels along transverse fold lines can other side Wall panel, a locking fiap hinged to the end.-

of said one side Wall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottom wall panels along a fold line and foldable thereabout to position at the innerface of saidone side wall panel, a locking flap hinged to theend of said other sidewall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottom wall panels along a fold line and foldable thereabout to position at the inner face of said other side wall panel,

i and substantially triangular can retaining web members connecting the ends of the respective flaps to the adjacent corners of said top and bottom wall panels and foldable incident to inward folding of said flaps to positions extending from said adjacent corners of said top and bottom wall panels to the ends of said flaps at an inclination inwardof said carrier. 7 j

2. In a can carrier, substantially rectangular top and bottom and side Wall panels hinged together'along top and bottom fold lines and defininganopen'ended carzier, one end of said top and bottom wall panels rc-';

spectively being inclinedbutwardl'y toward Ionefof .said' side wall panels and the' other end of said top and bottorn wall panels respectively being inclined outwardly,

toward the other side wall panel, a locking flap hinged to the end of said onesidewall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottomwallpanels along a fold line and foldable thereabout to position at the inner face of said one side wall panel, a locking fiap hinged to the end of said other side wall panel adjacent the outer terminus of the ends of said top and bottom Wall panels along a fold line and foldable thereabout to position at the inner face of said other side Wall panel, and substantially triangular can retaining web members connecting the ends of the respective flaps to the adjacent corners of said top and bottom wall tending the "full width of said blank, a first locking flap attached to one end of said first side wall panel along a transverse fold line intersecting the top and bottom fold lines thereof, a second locking flap attached to the 0pposite end of said second side wall panel along a transverse fold line intersecting the top and bottom fold lines thereof, said top wall panel having at oneend thereof a relatively narrow corner portion the outer edge of which is aligned with the outer edge of said first locking flap and being inclined for the remainder of its width in:

ward to said second side wall panel, the other end of said top wall'panel having a relativelynarrow corner portion the outer edge of which is aligned with the Outer edge of said second locking flap and being inclinedfor the remainder of its. width inwardly to said first side wall panel, the. end of said first bottom wall panel section adjacent said first lockingfiap having a comparatively narrow outer corner portionand being inclined outwardly for the. remainder of its width and the other endof said first bottom wall panel section being inclined outwardly from said first sidewall panel, the end of said' second bottom wall panel section adjacent said'second locking flap. having a comparatively narrow outer corner portion and being inclined outwardly for the remainder of itswidth and thelo'ther end of said second bottom wall panel section being inclined outwardly from panels and foldable incident to. inward folding of said flaps to positions extending from said adjacent corners of said top and bottom wall panels to the ends of said flaps at an inclination inward of said carrier, said side wall panels being of substantially equal length.

3. Ina can package, substantially rectangular top and bottom and side wall panels hinged together along top and bottom fold lines and defining an open ended cartier, one end of said top and bottom wall panels respecsaid second. side wall panel saidtblank having outwardly diverging scoring providing fold. lines extending from the points of .intersectionof said flap fold vli'n'eswith said top and bottom fold lines defining therewith substantially triangular web members respectively comprising said corner portions of said. top wall panel and Said bottom wall panel sections; a

References ciitedinthe file of this patent v UNITEDSIATESPATENTS 2,656,960 'Carruth"'; Oct.' 27, 1953 2,713,450 Williamson July 19, 1955 2,832,182 McGihon Apr. 29, 1958 2,839,235 -'Chidsey June 17, 1958 2,849,111 Fielding Aug. '26, 1958 v r I FOREIGN PATENTS f 489,986 Canada Jan. 27, 1953 

